Category
Vital Sign Monitoring
Typical Use
Measure peripheral oxygen saturation and pulse rate.
Description
A noninvasive electronic device that estimates arterial oxygen saturation (SpO?) and pulse rate by passing light through a perfused tissue bed, typically a fingertip or earlobe. It provides continuous, real time monitoring of oxygenation and is widely used in emergency care, anesthesia, critical care, and ambulatory settings to detect hypoxemia early. Readings can be affected by poor perfusion, motion artifact, nail polish, and certain dyshemoglobinemias, so clinical correlation and waveform assessment are important. Pulse oximetry is a rapid screening tool but does not replace arterial blood gas analysis when precise oxygenation and ventilation data are required.